An Egyptian man was this afternoon remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to slightly injuring his wife during a domestic argument that even led him to resist the police when they intervened and found him hidden in a cupboard. 

Sherif el Shennawyh, 49, from Paola, who has been living in Malta for 20 years, denied beating his wife black and blue at around 2.30am yesterday morning. 

Dr Tua said that fear of further beatings had stopped her from reporting other incidents to the police but this time matters had gotten out of hand. 

Police Inspector Spiridione Zammit said the woman was so scared of her husband that she went to the police station for protection. He said that when the police went to the residence, they found the man hidden in a cupboard in the washroom. 

He also said that the man sustained some injuries when his wife pushed him while he had his hands wrapped around her neck. 

Inspector Zammit explained that the accused was on bail pending proceedings before the immigration board due to his expired ID card. 

Defence lawyer George Buttigieg requested bail for his client, arguing that the injuries the woman had sustained were certified as “slight, possibly grievous.” He said his client had never before been charged with domestic violence. 

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit heard how the man had previously been married to a Maltese woman and had six children before the marriage went south and eventually annulled and he married his present wife. 

Dr Tua insisted that the woman needed to be protected before it is too late. "When will she be protected, when he kills her?" she asked. 

The magistrate upheld these arguments and turned down the request for bail.